Weekly Thoughts and Tips

May 2013

Smooth Transitions

By Bryce and Laurie FifieldMay 31, 2013

Children with disabilities often have difficulty transitioning from one activity to another. Transitions such as going from sacrament meeting to a Primary class can be noisy, crowded, and confusing. They may trigger anxiety, acting out, and other behaviors.

Here are some tips that can help children make smooth transitions at church.

Prepare the child: You can help make transitions less confusing by letting the child know what is going to happen. For example, you might say, “Now we are going to sing a song, then say a prayer, and then go to Primary.”

Avoid the rush: Transitions between church meetings can be chaotic and troubling. It might take some special coordination, but waiting until the crowd has thinned before you go to a classroom may be helpful.

Practice: Help your child become accustomed to the routine transitions that happen at church. For example, you could go to the chapel on a night the church building is open and practice going from the chapel to the child’s classroom and from the child’s classroom to the Primary room.

Get help: Work with your ward disability specialist and your child’s teacher and leaders to brainstorm ways to help your child transition between Primary classes and activities.

Download One in a Million Videos … and More!

By Marissa WiddisonMay 24, 2013

Have you ever wanted to show a video in family home evening or Primary, but were afraid that a choppy Internet connection might ruin the moment? Now you can download videos for children ahead of time from LDS.org! First, go to the Friend website, friend.lds.org. Then click on Friend and Videos in the column on the left side of the screen. There are several different categories representing hundreds of videos. The download button for each video is located under the bottom-right corner of the viewer screen. For more information, check out a Church News article here. Happy viewing!

Out of the Best Books

By Jessica LarsenMay 17, 2013

We’ve been commanded to seek “out of the best books words of wisdom” (D&C 88:118). The phrase “best books” certainly includes the scriptures, but it can also include wonderful children’s literature that opens our eyes and teaches us to recognize the good in the world.

To help you seek out the best books, the Friend creates a book review every May. Although these reviews do not constitute Church endorsement of these books, the books listed have been reviewed for adherence to Church standards.

Check out the book reviews for 2013, or click here to find Friend book reviews for the past several years. I love the May 2005 review, which includes fun ideas to encourage family reading, such as acting out stories, playing book bingo, or creating your own illustrations for your favorite book. So ready, set, read!

Happy Mother's Day!

By Jan PinboroughMay 10, 2013

This is a great time of year to learn about strong, faithful girls and women in Church history. Here are some stories you could share with your friends and family.

"Shining Walls”—The story of Elmeda Stringham, a pioneer girl who collected broken pottery from trash heaps to make the Kirtland Temple walls shine.

You may also enjoy reading in this month's Friend the remarkably wise insights of a quartet of girls responding to a serious spiritual question, as well as the story of two boys who come to better appreciate their mother's many contributions to their lives.

You Can Help Others Recognize the Spirit

By Larraine Rowberry, Primary general boardMay 3, 2013

While raising my family, teaching in Primary, and now enjoying the opportunity of being a grandmother, I have had many opportunities to help children recognize the Spirit. Recently I was tucking my oldest grandson into bed. We were talking about his soon-to-be 12th birthday and how he would be receiving the priesthood. He stopped me and said, “Grandma, I don’t know if I have a testimony.” I took a minute to look at this wonderful young man. I said, “You do have a testimony.” I helped him remember several times when his sensitive soul had been touched by spiritual things and he had felt the sweetness of the Spirit. He looked at me, smiled, and nodded.

On page 48 of Teaching, No Greater Call, Elder Richard G. Scott is quoted as saying, “If you accomplish nothing else in your relationship with your students than to help them recognize and follow the promptings of the Spirit, you will bless their lives immeasurably and eternally.”